Bay View Community Center opens renovated space

Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic was joined yesterday (Monday, October 23) by Mayor Cavalier Johnson to unveil the newly renovated space at the Bay View Community Center (BVCC), 1320 E. Oklahoma Ave. The renovations include upgrading to the original kitchen to a commercial kitchen facility that will serve the needs of the food pantry in addition to cooking classes up to 15 hours per week. The renovation also includes expansion of the food pantry space to allow for more capacity and better efficiency in service delivery to the community.

“The Bay View Community Center has long been an asset to those not just in the 14^th District, but everyone across the city. Food insecurity knows no boundaries, and with the renovations unveiled yesterday they will be able to continue to grow their reach and expand their service offerings to support local families and combat this issue,” said Alderwoman Dimitrijevic. “I want to thank Mike Mortell, BVCC President & CEO, for his stewardship of this renovation project, as well as the funders and other partners who helped make this happen. I can’t wait to see the positive impact this new space and expanded services will have on the community.”

The updated facility will allow BVCC to act as a food business incubator by making the new commercial kitchen space available for food and culinary startups to rent. BVCC will also support startups with mentors and access to opportunities for marketing and selling goods. Additionally, the Family Resource Center of BVCC will now have expanded facilities to accommodate parent education and family support programs. These enhancements include the introduction of cooking programs, a key component in promoting healthy eating habits among families and young children. The total renovation project has an estimated cost of $730,000, including $125,000 from the City of Milwaukee Community Development Grant Administration. For more info, visit https://bayviewcenter.org/.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.